Snapshots from Ghana...

Left: Children enjoy Christmas treats- sodas, popcorn, grilled plantain and Betty Crocker brownies- and show that they are stuffed.

Right- Kɔsi after powdering himself

Fun times playing with Kɔsi, love his laugh!

Snapshots from Ghana...

Richards Konu's graduation

Delali carrying her "Baby" on her back and enjoying photo ops with Flat Stanley

Friends go to the beach at Ada Foah and Pastor James takes the opportunity to share the message of how Christ came to redeem us. Special moment!

Mele Ablotsi

I am in America. (Mele Ablotsi.)

The trip home was one of the toughest because I wasn't feeling well. In addition, for some reason I thought that saying good-bye to those I love would get easier as relationships get stronger and I am more certain of the direction of ministry in Ghana. But of course, I am finding that saying good--bye only gets more difficult.

I talked to Kɔsi on the phone today and his voice was just as strong and bright as ever.

"Sandra?"

Kɔsi!

"I LOVE YOU. I MISS YOU"

Kɔsi I love you too and I miss you!

"BYE-BYEEEEE"

click.

Haha, its good to talk to my friends there but it is so difficult to be away. And it is difficult to be directing the work there but not actually be there.

The NGO paperwork is underway and upon completion I can begin to file for a year-long visa allowing me to stay more than a couple of months. Where I was supposed to be able to stay for 3 months in Ghana, I found out as I left the country that was not the case. I was slapped with a fine before I was allowed to leave immigration. I sure will be glad when the paperwork is completed!

Soon I will be sending out an email including a short biography of those who are presently working with Gɔmesese Ministries. If you are not on the email list but would like to be, feel free to email me at holenroof@gmail.com.

I waiting to learn when I will be able to return to Ghana. It will either be this summer or summer 2012. I'll post tentative plans in a later post! For now just know that it is somewhat difficult for me to be here with all that God is doing in Ghana. Just need to focus on what He has me doing here in the way of Ghana ministry and US ministry!

Thank you all for staying updated! Thank you for your prayers! I definitely had some scary times this trip and your prayers were comforting to me. All glory and honor to God for His hand at work and for carrying myself and others through!

Not Temptation but Examination

Yesterday (2/10/2011) Godson and I were sitting going over some discipleship materials. I asked him if he felt like he had to sacrifice anything so far in his faith and as he serves in the ministry. He said there were some petty things that he had been doing before following Christ that he had stopped but he didn’t consider them a sacrifice.

He verbally pointed out the things that God has done for him. He marveled aloud at where God has brought him so far in his faith and life. He said that with all God has done for him he doesn’t feel as if he’s had to sacrifice anything.

I went on to ask about temptation. I know personally, when I most desire to follow Christ and rest wholly in Him, in storms Temptation! So I wanted to see where Godson was and if he too had experienced that. So our conversation went something like this:

S: So do you feel like since you have chosen to follow Christ that you have experienced more or less temptation in your life?

G: “I say there is no such thing as temptation.”

S: (Confused look)

G: laughs and says, “It’s not temptation but examination. (Seeing my still confused look he says,) Okay, what is temptation?”

It’s when something that is not of God is put before you and you must choose that thing or you must choose to refuse it and follow God.

“Okay so then, what is an examination?”

A test.

“So then when something comes before you it is an examination to see where you really stand and if you are going to follow God. Therefore, I say, ‘There’s no such thing as temptation, rather examination.’”

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Pretty neat insight from a believer! Call it what you want, temptation or examination, Godson is right- the way we approach it reveals our hearts and where we stand when it comes to serving our Creator.

I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve. (Jer. 17:10)

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. (2 Cor. 3:5-6)

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Father, as we face trials and temptations, may we choose the way out which You have promised to provide so that when we do examine ourselves and our choices, we can know that we have followed You and that You are pleased with us. Thank You Father for Your truth and for Your mercy. Thank You for continued understanding and encouragement!

Painting Pictures of Egypt

"God said, 'If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." (Ex. 13:17b)

There is a song in which the lyrics are written:

I've been painting pictures of Egypt, leaving out what it lacks

The future feels so hard and I want to go back,

But the places that used to fit me, cannot hold the things I've learned.

Those roads were closed off to me while my back was turned.

As followers of Christ, we all have our Egypt. We all have something that we have left to follow Christ - our past.

But the past is comfortable. The past is familiar. The past we can understand. The past is certain and cannot change.

But there is no hope in the past. So there is a constant battle of refusing to cling to the things of the past and pressing on into a somewhat uncertain future. God Himself acknowleged this battle that would take place in His own people.

Before the Red Sea miracle, God knew the Israelites would falter and go back to their lives of slavery so He provided a different way for them to go...toward the Red Sea. He led them this way and this path left no way for them to return to Egypt (unless they were extremely good swimmers and wanted to swim through a sea of dead Egyptians.)

I feel like God has done the same with me. He's taken me from my Egypt - captivity to certain mindsets and practices - and has given me freedom. He's given me freedom with understanding - incredible, unbelievable, divine understanding of His word, His purpose and Himself.

For me to go back to those things that held me captive could be easier than I would have thought. There have been recent times when the future does feel so hard. Sometimes, if I'm not careful, I'll begin to believe that the future is too difficult to continue and I'll sit where I am or I'll attempt to go back. The Israelites told Moses, "Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It's better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness."

In their fear of the uncertain, the Israelites were saying that they'd rather keep themselves and even their future generations enslaved to the Egyptians.

But then just like the Lord constantly showed Israelietes, He shows me that He IS God and He shows me that there is more at stake in this world than my own comfort.

"But Moses said to the people, 'Don't be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The LORD Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.'"

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We are watching Father! It is my own commitment today to remain calm in all situations and allow You to fight on my behalf. You've called me to Yourself just as You did the Israelites. Thank You for rescuing me from an eternity without You! Thank You for Your promises and thank You for giving my life purpose and meaning. When it doesn't make sense I'll wait on You. When everything seems to make sense, I'll wait on You. My faith is in You and fear fades. You are my Rescuer. I rejoice at the sound of Your name! I worship You with a full heart this morning!

Smiles and the Ewe Language

The other day Godson and I went to market. I was tired and wanted to hurry up and get through so I wasn't on top of my game in regards to speaking the Ewe language. I stumbled and got tongue tied here and there and the more I did, the more I just wanted to be home.

As we were making our way through the market from the okra seller to the area where they sell fish, Godson was walking in front of me and I tell he was smiling. I had just finished a conversation with the woman selling okra. In this conversation I started speaking in Ewe and messed up and finished in English even though I knew she didn’t speak a lick of English.

I assumed Godson found my error humorous but still I asked, “What are you smiling about?” His response was, “No” which here in Ghana means, “I’m not going to give you an answer.” (That used to drive me nuts but now I can better accept it.) Being my Ewe teacher I consider it his job to correct me even if it is against custom so I said, “Why no? You are smiling. You must be smiling for something. Is it because of what I said?”

His response changed my entire attitude that day and even to this day.

“You make people happy. Even if they are having a very bad day, you can just change it just by trying to speak Ewe. When you leave a place, everyone in that place is smiling and they have forgotten their problem.”

Granted, I don’t see myself as the One who wipes away people’s problems but if I can be an encouragement to others, it’s worth it to gather the strength and energy and do my best. Language is such a basic thing but it has such POWER!